I know what I want to do with my life

[cdog]

I want to open a bird store. I would have cages, toys, books, food, perches ect. But I wouldn't sell any live birds. I figure since I love birds so much and I would love to work at a bird store it would be a perfect fit for me to own my own bird only store. My mom said it would be great for me to have my own store since I am so critical when it comes to buying things for my birds. I was thinking of calling it All About Birds. My mom said I should get a hat that says, The Bird Man.lol.

What do you guys think?

 

[suncon97]

I say go for it!If you set your mind to it you can accomplish anything!I love local stores because the employees arent idiots and usually know what theyre talking about!I plan on becoming an anesthesiologist pharmacist or avian vet.

 

[KatherineI]

I'm hoping to eventually do the same! I say go for it. It's important to have a job that you enjoy doing!! A friend of mine once applied for a business loan for a pet supply store and the guy at the lending office told her they rarely decline loans for businesses surrounding pets because they rarely fail. Not that they can't fail, but that it's not as common as a restaurant or a book store, etc.

 

[cdog]

I'm not sure when I will be able to start it though because I will be moving either in 5 years or in 10 years, it depends on when my dad can retire. I think it would be the coolest job ever because I will get to edjucate people on how they should keep their birds, which is what I love doing. I think it is important to love what you are doing no matter how much you get paid, I would rather get paid 30,000 a year doing what I love than earn 100,000 doing what I hate, being stuck in an office.

 

[Mozzie]

I too say GO FOR IT! It is so important to do what you love in life! I think you would make it work.

 

[Mare Miller]

Awesome!! Go for it! I think it's a great idea and it sounds like you have what it takes, enthusiasm and knowledge. The money to do it will come!

 

[ConureCrazy]

Woohoo! I love it! They have a shop in my town called "For the Birds" and I absolutely LOVE it! Go for it! We need more bird lovin people in the universe!

 

[lene1949]

What a great idea!.... Love it...

 

[AVM]

do it do it do it!!!!

 

[Parrotmamma]

I think that is a great idea cdog , Sounds like the perfect job for you : )

 

[PetoftheDay]

Yup - business major in school, and you can always start it, get it going and then if you move, sell that store and start another one wherever you move! Before you start it, keep thing abut store names and you can try to come up with one you can get the ".com" domain name for. AllAboutBirds.com is already taken, but if you pick something unique, you can register the name now, and just hold it until you are ready to launch!

 

[cdog]

That is some good advice petoftheday, thanks. I still have two years left of high school before I can go to college and take a business course so it will still be a while before I can start this but I will start looking for names. Anyone got any ideas for the store name?

 

[Purl]

As a 49 yo who didn't follow her dream of working with animals but instead has been working in an office...DO IT! Seven years ago my husband and I opened up a pet supply store which is great because I get to see, play and spoil every dog that walks in the front door.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAM!!!

 

[lexx510]

It's a wonderful idea, as long as you're up for a challenge. Owning a small business is no picnic - you will not only need to know about birds, but about accounting, financing, etc. What do you plan on majoring in when you go to college?

 

[mcw009]

My lab gets all our bird food from a local parrot supply store. If it weren't for us buying about 500 lbs of zupreem and 200 lbs of premium finch seed every month, she would have gone out of business years ago.

Granted, she also has a lot of rescued parrots as well, who are technically available for adoption, so her costs are higher than if it was just a supply store. It's not easy for small businesses to compete with chain stores like Petco and Petsmart, and the internet, even for something as specialized as parrots.

I hate to be negative, but this would be a big risk. I'm just sharing the reality I see first hand.

 

[cdog]

Before I got into parrots I planned on majoring in marine biology, but now that I am so into parrots I don't know what to major in. But now I know I want to have my own store I am going to take business and economics at college.

I know it is a risk, but without risk there is no reward.

 

[artemis]

It's not easy for small businesses to compete with chain stores like Petco and Petsmart, and the internet, even for something as specialized as parrots.

I hate to be negative, but this would be a big risk. I'm just sharing the reality I see first hand.

You're not being negative, you're being realistic. These days, I don't think the sort of store the OP is planning can survive without a really good online shopping system. Most towns just won't have enough foot traffic to support a brick-and-mortar-only operation.

OP, think about ways your store can distinguish itself from PetSmart, Petco, and the big online pet supply stores like Drs. Foster and Smith. Why should I shop at your store instead of theirs? You'll need a good, solid answer to that question (along with a plan for promoting your business and a strong Internet presence) if your future store is going to survive.